# Craft Beer Review



## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Ghostface Killah ghost pepper beer - Twisted Pine

Rough pour golden orange in color color turns into 1 finger off white head. Not much retention and little lacing. Spicy, peppery, citrusy, floral like aroma that you get from habanero and bhut jolokia chilies. Taste follows suit with the aroma complimented by a wonderful bit of heat. The pepper starts in the cheeks and the back of the throat then rounds out on the tongue and follows down into your stomach. Good carbonation and light in body. If your not a pepper head then this beer isnt for you. Ive found I enjoy using this beer to make homemade pizza dough too!!! I love spicy foods so my opinion could be biased on this one but this one gets good marks from me.

My Grade - A


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Lectio Divina - St. Somewhere

Orange/Amber in color. Heady pour but not much lacing. Smells of sour apples, old fruit, and a good funkiness. Not very sour but is nicely dry and tart with hues of earthiness, old fruit, sour cherry and faint banana. Light bodied and dry and very carbed, true to style. The strength in abv is well hidden within the tart mild fruit finish though its lightly warming. Obviously not a beer for everyone, SWMBO just took one sip and immediately voiced her disliking lol.



My Grade - B


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Oak Aged Mocha Stout - Peak Organic

Pours motor oil black and opens into a two finger dark caramel head. Solid retention and decent lacing. Aroma is of oak, vanilla, french roast coffee, and a touch of chocolate. Flavor is very complex. Dark fruits on the front palate that transitions into dark roast coffee, dark chocolate, and a mild nuttiness. The finish is more dark fruit, chocolate, and coffee with a faint hint of oaky vanilla that eventually settles into a lingering mocha note. Fairly low carbed and medium-full body. Quite impressed with the array of flavor is this beer. It all happens so fast and smooth its easy to miss some of the subtleties.

My Grade - A

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## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

Excellent reviews!


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Thanks Eric... plenty more to come!!


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## Rock31 (Sep 30, 2010)

very nice, look forward to others!


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Tocobaga Red Ale - Cigar City

Dark copper with amber hues, an easy pour opens a frothy 3 finger head that's light beige in color. Nice head retention that slowly fades leaving behind a sticky lacing notching the glass after each sip. Very assertive ruby red grapefruit and tangerine tones in the aroma backed by caramel malt. A grapefruit tang jumps right out on the front palate evolving into a more juicy citrus profile mid palate accompanied by some caramel malt and a faint breadiness. I little bit of resinous earthy character joins the mix together with a strong citrus finish that's more tangerine than grapefruit. No heat or booziness, the 7.4%ABV is hidden incredibly well. Light-medium bodied with good crisp carbonation that leaves the tongue a bit dry. Overall extremely delicious and despite the alcohol content, a very sessionable beer.

My Grade - A+

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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Why do the pics I upload show up sideways and small? When I upload them to the site linked in my signature this never happens. They show up like the pic in my first review.


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## ezlevor (Oct 29, 2012)

I've seen too much of that on this forum that I host all my pictures elsewhere... usually on facebook... and just use the img tags in my posts. I always unclick the box here that says retrieve remote file and reference locally. I used to use imageshack until I changed computers and emails a handful of times and my account info got lost in the abyss. 

Either way, good reviews. I'm surprised the pepper beer was any good. I had a jalapeno ale that I thought was just awful. I love spicy, and I love beer, but not together.


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

I'm considering doing that. 

Thanks... The pepper beer is certainly an acquired taste but the backbone of it is a good beer.


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Last Chance IPA - Weyerbacher http://weyerbacher.com/files/2012/05/Last-Chance-IPA1.jpg

Rough pour opens this straw yellow bodied brew into a 2-3 finger ivory head. Retention is pretty good with decent lacing. Aroma is earthy, slightly spicy, some orange, faint yeast character, and strongly backed by caramel malt. Taste on the front palate is malty with a bitter hop note and mild citrus flavor. The bitterness takes the lead in the mid palate becoming more earthy and reminiscent of pith though still backed by notes of slightly bready crystal malt. The hops drowned out the malt in the finish with an assertive bitterness interwoven with grapefruit. Body is light, good carbonation, no boozy heat. Overall not my style of IPA. Just too much bitterness and not enough good hop flavor to balance it out, its mostly just...bitter. The Double Simcoe is much better.

My Grade - B


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## Straight Up Cigars (Oct 18, 2009)

Interesting ghost pepper beer, HIM.
There is a place around here (Flat Branch) that has a green chili brew... one of my favorites and I often get growlers of it.


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

I definitely recommend using it to make pizza dough. Pepper beers make killer dough or other breads!!


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Guava Grove - Cigar City http://beerstreetjournal.com/images/Cigar-City-Guava-Grove1.png

Pour this one gently because this beer is bubbly!! It took me a few minutes to fill my pint glass and despite being so frothy theres little to no lacing. Body is golden orange with red hues and an off white head. Im immediately confronted by an aroma of funky clove and green apple acidic bite, typical of farmhouse style, that eases into juicy fresh guava. A lot of subtle notes and flavor transitions. The front palate is more of the funky clove found in the aroma with a bit of banana joining the mix. The funk and clove both get amped up a little bit in the mid palate supported by an underlying flavor of guava. The finish introduces a little pepper and a nice tangy note reminiscent of the clean green apple tartness in the aroma. Not very sour but enough for a slight pucker. Mouthfeel is crisp and leaves the tongue dry, no boozy heat despise being 8abv. Overall a very solid beer and one I'd recommend to anyone who loves a good farmhouse.

My Grade - A


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Mosaic Single Hopped Red Rye Ale - Terrapin

Rough pour opens up a murky dark cherry colored body with a 2 finger peanut colored head. Decent head retention and a nice sticky lacing. Aroma is an array of hop character ranging from mango and citrus to a grassy, malty, and rye backbone. The taste is surprisingly malty though well supported by smooth citrus and earthy notes. For some reason I even get a faint hint of coffee in the mid palate which is interesting. The finish is long and is a nice mix of grapefruit and rye. Medium body and medium carbonation. Its hardly notice able but there is a faint underlying booziness hinting at the 6.6% abv. Overall an interesting beer thats well worth trying.


My Grade - B+


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Modus Hoperandi IPA - Ska

http://www.beersofeurope.co.uk/medi...36e95/pimages/SkaBrewingModusHoperandiIPA.jpg

Pours a golden orange color with a frothy 4 finger beige head that fades slowly leaving behind a wonderful amount of sticky lacing. Crystal like clarity. Grapefruit, mango, pineapple, floral, lightly earthy, and an underlying tea note all backed by faint touch of malt round out the nose. Grapefruit and piney notes jump out on the front palate and slowly turn to mango, pineapple, and a light maltiness in the mid palate. The finish melds back to strong flavors of citrus and pine. A very mild booziness lingers on the back of the tongue hinting at the 6.8 abv. Body is light, crisp, and leaves the back of the tongue a little dry. Overall a phenomenal beer thats incredible sessionable.

My Grade - A+


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## Nature (Jul 30, 2012)

HIM said:


> Modus Hoperandi IPA - Ska
> 
> http://www.beersofeurope.co.uk/medi...36e95/pimages/SkaBrewingModusHoperandiIPA.jpg
> 
> ...


Sounds like my type of beer!

Nice reviews, Cole. Keep 'em coming.


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Gubna IIPA - Oskar Blues

http://www.drinkhacker.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/gubna-imperial-ipa.jpg

Golden orange on the pour turning into a fluffy white head with an orange tint. Head retention is great slowly fading away leaving behind a thick lacing. Once settled the color is more of a light copper. Aroma is well balanced with notes of citrus fruits, spiciness, and pine. The front palate is a nice mix of grapefruit and resiny earthiness that softens up to tangerine and crystal malt in the mid palate. The finish is a little more assertive ending with the initial flavors of grapefruit and pine. The 10abv makes itself known around the mid palate and lingers on with the finish. Medium bodied with fairly low carbonation which really gives this beer a thicker mouthfeel without making it overly sweet. A pretty good beer but I would have liked a little more hop flavor. It seemed a bit muddled.

My Grade - B+


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Oak Aged Yeti - Great Divide

http://twscritic.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/great-divide-oak-aged-yeti-imperial-stout1.jpg

Rough pour shows off a motor oil black body that gradually erupts into a head reminiscent of chocolate milk. Some stained glass on the lacing. The aroma is a rich blend of dark chocolate, oak, spicy bourbon, dark fruit, and caramel. The first thing I notice upon taking a sip is very smooth bourbon which lingers on through the finish. Slowly the oakiness transitions into light smoky notes similar to a little char on grilled food along with touches of dark fruit. This is then met by flavors of dark chocolate and roast coffee with and underlying hint of vanilla the whole way through. The finish is incredibly long and while the booziness is there, its only as much as it should be and never any more. Thick, chewy, and lightly carbed the mouthfeel is almost syrupy. This was truly an amazing RIS and thats still an understatement. An absolute must try!!!

My Grade - A+


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Sixty-One - Dogfish Head

http://philly.thedrinknation.com/images/articles/2013-04-29-dogfish-sixtyone.jpg

Very interesting rose color on the pour that turns into a thick foamy head very similar to the look and texture of sea foam. Very good retention, the head actually held together about a half inch over the glass without falling down the sides. The beer eventually settles into a nice bright copper with rose hues. Mildly tangy grape must aroma backed by a floral hoppiness and light malt undertones. A very mild citrus hoppiness jumps out immediately giving way to a juicy fruit punch like flavor. This is also brief as its followed by a red wine note with a light sour bite that lingers on to be joined with a little maltiness in the finish. Texture is very crisp and leaves the tongue and roof of the mouth pretty dry. I can't really say this beer fits as an IPA but for what they've actually accomplished its definitely different and unique.

My Grade - B


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

That's kind of tuff to answer. Really its a matter of finding a store near you that sells them them figuring out where you can get it the cheapest. Of course this is assuming there's more than one place your able to buy it.


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## Tommystephen01 (Jul 19, 2013)

hi,phillipanth according to my knowledge if you have to get cheap wine search a nearest place on the web, you defensively find it.


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## James40 (Jun 29, 2013)

Just finished a bottle of Stone Ruinten IPA. 10.8% and the description says, "A stage dive into a mosh pit of hops!" Pretty damn good beer and I'm feeling invincible.

Its closest rival would be hoptimum by Sierra Nevada. Both with an IBU value of 100 I'm guessing(on the Stone only)


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## ammymorcle (Jul 27, 2013)

It's better to search on internet, you'll surely find.


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## phinz (Jan 5, 2010)

James40 said:


> Just finished a bottle of Stone Ruinten IPA. 10.8% and the description says, "A stage dive into a mosh pit of hops!" Pretty damn good beer and I'm feeling invincible.
> 
> Its closest rival would be hoptimum by Sierra Nevada. Both with an IBU value of 100 I'm guessing(on the Stone only)


Being in California, you can probably get Pliny the Elder from Russian River. Take a headfirst plunge into that one. It's a tongue walloping pile o' hop intensity.

RuinTen is so much better than Ruination was. I grew tired of Ruination. RuinTen and it's predecessor Ruination 10th Anniversary are much better balanced and much more satisfying.


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Heady Topper - The Alchemist



Back from a long hiatus to bring you Puffers another beer review. And what better day than one where I'm brewing my own beer at the same time, a Mango Cream Ale for those who are curious. I realized since passing my entrance exam and becoming a Provisional Judge in the Beer Judge Certification Program Ive been judging homebrew but not writing any craft reviews. Well today that changes! 
Todays review covers an IPA that has swept the beer world by storm and made itself a benchmark for the style. The highly sought after Heady Topper from The Alchemist Brewing Co. out of Waterbury, VT.
Many brewers tried endlessly to clone this beer before realizing there was just something they couldn't quite nail down. Turns out co-owner John Kimmich had an unexpected trick up his sleeve for crafting this masterpiece. For this beer he uses an English strain of brewers yeast known today as the Conan strain. What most people hadn't realized initially was how important this yeast was to the overall profile of the beer. The esters Conan imparts are part of the backbone of what makes Heady Topper what it is. Now enough prelude, on to the review!


Medium gold body the pour rises into a frothy eggshell white 3 finger head. Very nice head retention that slowly dies down leaving remarkable stained glass lacing. From the moment you open the can your hit with an aggressive hop aroma. A wonderful blend of tangerine, grapefruit, mango, and a little bit of floral and dank notes. 
As I take a sip I'm met with familiar notes of tangerine, grapefruit, and dank earthiness on the front palate accompanied by a light bite from the carbonation. The citrus notes linger into the mid palate being met with juicer notes of mango and peaches. This is where the Conan joins the party. These stone fruit flavors are really a hallmark of the ester profile of many English yeasts. All the flavors mellow into perfect balance in the finish combining into an overall impression of tropical fruit and light dankness. There is some light warming in the throat hinting to the 8% ABV but all in all its incredibly smooth. Theres also a slight sharpness from the sulfate levels in the brew water but its hard to pick up. Certainly not a bad thing as its appropriate for the style but when your a brewer you notice this kind of stuff.

Overall - Medium gold color with slight hop haze. High hop aroma, little to no malt aroma. Medium light bodied with medium high carbonation, smooth crisp and dry mouthfeel. Medium high bitterness, no astringency, high hop flavor.


My Grade - 48/50


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